Brian Clough had no chance, says former FA executive

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Nottingham Forest manager was the popular choice to succeed Don Revie but was overlooked in favour of Ron Greenwood

A former FA executive has ended one of football’s most enduring riddles by revealing that Brian Clough was the victim of a sham when he was interviewed for the post of England manager. Although the Nottingham Forest manager was the popular choice to succeed Don Revie in 1977, he was overlooked in favour of Ron Greenwood. Now the FA press officer at the time has broken more than three decades of silence to admit that Clough never had a chance.

Glen Kirton, who later became the governing body’s commercial director and team administrator, revealed that Clough’s interview was a sop